A cancer charity centre is celebrating 20 years of helping people.
The FORCE Support and Information Centre opened its doors to the public on September 20, 2004, and has since become a sanctuary for thousands of people across Devon and beyond.
The centre was built on the grounds of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital’s Wonford site after a successful £900,000 appeal.
In its first year, the centre had around 9,000 visits, nearly double the original projection.
That figure rose to more than 20,000 within a relatively short space of time.
Due to the high demand for support, a £350,000 extension was added in 2012 to provide larger rooms for support groups and classes.
This was followed by an outreach programme, taking support into the wider communities of Tiverton, Okehampton, and Honiton, as well as funding outreach chemotherapy nurses.
There have been around a quarter of a million visits to the FORCE Centre since it first opened.
It opens five days a week and is at the heart of the charity’s operation, supporting cancer patients, their families, friends, and carers as well as healthcare professionals.
FORCE prides itself on creating a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere that offers a haven from the clinical environment of the hospital.
The charity offers one-to-one counselling, complementary therapies, relaxation classes, exercise sessions, support groups, benefits advice, and an extensive library, all available free of charge.
The Centre is also FORCE’s administrative headquarters.
The pandemic created previously unimaginable change including considerable financial challenges for the charity but all of FORCE’s services and outreach projects have restarted with Honiton replaced by Ottery St Mary.
FORCE CEO Meriel Fishwick said: "Thanks to the support of our incredible fundraising community and some generous grants, we are able to face the future and celebrate the first 20 years of our Centre."
Emma Ellis, who was initially a volunteer and is now a FORCE Oncology Support Specialist and Lead for the charity’s Support and Education Programmes, said: "As one of the 70 volunteers inducted all those years ago, I remember feeling the infectious excitement about the Centre opening, bringing my set of scissors to cut the ribbon, which I still have a piece of.
"I recall thinking how big it was and before we knew it, we were making plans for the extension as it became too small to meet the need.
"I feel as proud and excited today to be part of FORCE and continue to be inspired by the people I work alongside, our volunteers and the patients and families we walk alongside."
On Friday, September 27 this year, the Centre will open between 9am and 4.30pm to supporters, friends, colleagues and patients to celebrate its 20th birthday.
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